


Come As You Aren't

by TrinahEke



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:33:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26143408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrinahEke/pseuds/TrinahEke
Summary: River's extensive research on the Doctor says he went to the planet Hyteron, the Doctor says he has never been. River needs to know the truth.
Kudos: 10





	Come As You Aren't

“Quinnis?” asked River.  
“Yes, yes, I've been there.” replied the Doctor tapping his fingers against the console impatiently.  
“There must be somewhere you haven't been. Ribos?” replied River.  
“Ah, Ribos, I almost got frost bite on Ribos.” replied the Doctor.  
“Exxilon, Hyteron, Planet 14, Terra Alpha, Varos, Zanak is there no where you haven't been?” asked River with slight exasperation.  
“Woman Wept...always wanted to go, we could go?” suggested the Doctor.  
“Now you're just humouring me, I know you've been there.” replied River.  
“I haven't been with you.” replied the Doctor.  
“I want to go somewhere you've never been.” said River.  
River pulled star charts up on the console.  
“Close your eyes and point.” she instructed.  
The Doctor closed his eyes, opening one a little while his pointed, River noticed.  
“Do I have to blindfold you?” she asked.  
The Doctor closed both his eyes and pointed.  
“Raxacoricofallapatorius.” sighed River. “Fine we'll go to Woman Wept.”

“What did you have to do that for?” yelled the Doctor.  
“I wanted to go swimming.” replied River.  
“There was a swimming pool!” he yelled.  
“I wanted to swim in the ocean.” she replied.  
“You destroyed their main tourist attraction!”. he yelled  
“Well then fix it.” replied River dismissively.  
“I can't fix it!” he yelled.  
“Fine, I'll fix it.” replied River moving to the console. She moved around the console setting controls, finally turning a dial slowly as she watched the viewscreen monitor.  
“There...see, good as new.” she said.  
The Doctor moved to the viewscreen, he leaned in close.  
“Are those seahorses?” he asked.  
River quickly set the controls, the TARDIS dematerialised.

“It's been fun, but time waits for no woman.” said River keying into her vortex manipulator.  
“Next time we could go to Hyteron, never been there.” replied the Doctor.  
“Yes you have.” said River.  
“No...no, I haven't.” said the Doctor.  
River studied the Doctor's face, she could knew he was telling the truth. Her research had several accounts of the Doctor visiting Hyteron in an earlier incarnation, the drawings had been crude but they resembled his third incarnation.  
“My mistake.” she said, blowing him a kiss before hitting a final button on the vortex manipulator and disappearing.

River appeared in a quiet alley just off the busy port of Fortune, on the out of the way, imaginatively named planet of Prospect. This was one of her many staging points. She was able to find the widest range of equipment at ports, most of them illegal, but they were usually the most useful.  
The Doctor's words echoed around her head, “Next time we could go to Hyteron, never been there.” her vast research on the Doctor said otherwise. Had he forgotten, it had been a long time ago...for him at least. There was only one way to know for sure, she was going to have to go herself. But first she needed to stock up on supplies.

River browsed the illegal market, it was located inside a warehouse just off the docks. The warehouse had been seized by the port authority following a raid a few weeks earlier, time enough for illegal markets, not enough time to have been auctioned off. Most of the items for sale held little interest for her, she was looking for something specific, technology that would disguise her appearance.  
She wasn't intending to get close enough to the Doctor that he would see her face but circumstances didn't always play out as expected, so she would take precautions. The Doctor could spot most disguise tech which relied on transmitting a false image to the viewer. She needed something that actually changed her face, most of which were outlawed for good reason, they were dangerous. Some of the unfortunate users of the tech had ended up deformed, others had died when their noses and mouths hadn't been replicated in the new face.  
There was one device which was outlawed for the opposite reason, it was too good. Unfortunately it was difficult to acquire. The market didn't have what she was looking for, time for plan B, steal one.  
Rumour had it a renowned local jewel thief, Chameleon, had one. She had heard of him of course, but their paths had never crossed despite being in similar lines of work. According to her research Chameleon had robbed a private collector of the Jennini Emerald a few days earlier. A little detective work had discovered his travel route to the robbery, she already had a plan to intercept him.  
Chameleon had travelled part of the way on the Aerial Transit Service (ATS) to the city of Yuki before hiring ground transport. She planned to intercept him on the ATS, robbing someone on the ATS would usually be considered a stupid idea, there being no means of escape, but she had the means.  
River boarded the ATS at Shelik. She had hacked various security camera feeds, back tracking Chameleon from the robbery to the ATS, she had an image of his disguise, now she just had to track him down. The transit car was only half full it being an off peak travel time. She weaved her way around people until she spotted him sat alone near an exit door. Chameleon's demeanour was relaxed, “Cocky.” she thought to herself.  
What she needed now was a ruse to get close to him. A controlled small burst of thrusters on one side of the transit car would cause a momentary tilt, enough for her to bump into him. She was about to activate the plan when Chameleon rose from his seat and approached her.  
“Darling, I thought we had missed each other.” Chameleon said throwing his arms around her.  
“I'm a friend of the Doctor.” he whispered in her ear. “Captain Jack Harkness.”  
“You know me?” she whispered.  
“Doctor River Song, I was hoping we would run into each other.” he whispered. Jack released her from the embrace and guided her back to where he had been sitting.  
“Is this a happy coincidence or were you looking for me?” asked Jack.  
“I was looking for Chameleon, I had no idea he was you.” replied River quietly.  
“Has the Doctor mentioned me?” asked Jack.  
River laughed.  
“The Doctor isn't one for looking back. I know all about you though, through my own research.” replied River flirtatiously.  
“You researched me, should I blush?” asked Jack.  
“I researched the Doctor, you kept popping up.” replied River. “You do get around.”  
Jack smiled.  
“So you were looking for Chameleon...checking out the competition?” asked Jack.  
“I heard a rumour you have a DX790, I was hoping to...borrow it.” replied River.  
“You were going to steal it right off my face.” laughed Jack.  
“I still might.” replied River flirtatiously. “Why are you posing as a jewel thief?”  
“I'm undercover.” replied Jack. “Why do you need a face changer?”  
“I don't want to be recognised. Why are you undercover?” asked River.  
“Specialists have been going missing, safe crackers, hackers, explosive...” began Jack.  
“You laid a trap.” said River.  
“I figure they'll come for me if I make enough noise. Why don't you want to be recognised, you usually don't care?” asked Jack.  
“I don't want the Doctor to recognise me.” she replied.  
“He wouldn't approve.” said Jack knowingly.  
“He hadn't met me yet.” replied River.  
“Tricky, I have my own share of dodging the Doctor.” replied Jack. “Why take the risk?”  
“Hyteron, he says he's never been there, but according to my research he has. I need to know.” replied River.  
Jack considered for a moment.  
“I want to come with you.” said Jack.  
“He can't see you.” replied River.  
“He won't. Trust me.” replied Jack with a smile.  
“Well I do like living dangerously.” replied River flirtatiously.  
“Ready when you are.” replied Jack. River entered co-ordinates into her vortex manipulator, she held her wrist out towards Jack. He grabbed ahold of vortex manipulator as River activated it.

The city of Gorlon, Hyteron.

A vortex opened in the alley, a moment later Jack and River materialised through the vortex which promptly closed behind them.  
“Ah, travelling by vortex manipulator, nothing else like it.” said Jack.  
“The TARDIS is better.” replied River.  
“And yet you keep going it alone, why is that?” asked Jack.  
“A woman likes to have her secrets.” replied River. “Now are you going to give me that face changer or do I have to take it?”  
“Straight to business.” said Jack as he raised his hands to either side of his face and double tapped his ears. The false face he was wearing transformed into a shimmering silver mask, he leant his face forward and the mask fell away in his hand revealing another false face.  
“I assume there's a reason you are wearing two face changers.” said River.  
“Everyone knows Chameleon wears a face changer, no-one would suspect I was wearing two, like I said I'm undercover.” replied Jack handing the device to River.  
She placed it over her face, closed her eyes and activated it. Her new face was the kind you didn't really notice, River didn't want to be remembered.  
“Ready?” she asked.  
“Always.” replied Jack.  
She held out her vortex manipulator, Jack grabbed hold, River activated it and they disappeared.

Gorlon, Hyteron 349 years earlier.

River and Jack exited the vortex into the same alley they had just left.  
“According to the records, the Doctor intervened when a mini black hole appeared in the town square. Apparently it was about to suck the Emperor into space.” said River with a smirk.  
“A black hole on a planet, sucking people in.” said Jack sceptically. “A man made wormhole maybe?”  
River pulled a scanner from a pouch on her belt.  
“Whatever it is, we should be able to scan for it.” said River. “I've found something, I need to get closer, these reading don't make sense. This way.” she said already walking.  
“Do you have a plan?” asked Jack.  
“I always have a plan. Improvise.” replied River.  
“I can see why he likes you.” replied Jack.  
“It's moving, it's heading for the town square.” said River. “This way.”  
They reached the town square, there was no sign of the phenomenon, they opted to wait in the shadows.  
“I don't see him.” said Jack.  
“He'll be here.” replied River.  
The phenomenon appeared at the edge of the town square, it zigzagged upending market stalls, the people scattered in terror leaving the Emperor who had previously been giving a speech standing alone on the stage. It was easy to see why it had been described as a mini black hole it resembled one. The phenomenon was approximately 5 inches across, it was sucking up anything in it's path which currently consisted of the strewn contents of the market stalls.  
“Any minute now.” said River from their vantage point.  
The phenomenon grew in intensity, the stalls succumbed to the pull and were being dragged towards it.  
“He should be here.” said River.  
“Unless...it wasn't him.” suggested Jack.  
River thought for a moment. She pulled a perfume bottle from a pouch on her belt, raised it above her head and sprayed. Her hair turned white, her dress was replaced by a ruffled white shirt, green velvet jacket and black trousers and shoes. She closed her eyes and concentrated, her face changed to a man's face with imposing nose and chin.  
“He was taller than you.” said Jack. River raised an eyebrow. “I was stranded on Earth too, I couldn't resist taking a look.”  
The phenomenon had grown further and she could see the Emperor trying to exit the stage but he was being held in place. River pulled a device from her jacket pocket and stepped out of the shadows. She needed to act fast, keeping her distance from the phenomenon she edged her way to the Emperor. The pull was getting stronger, River set the device and placed it on the ground angling it toward the phenomenon. The device started vibrating producing it's own gravitation pull, it began to pull the phenomenon into it. River felt the pull subside, she was able to move more freely, she helped the Emperor away from the stage. Jack run out of the shadows.  
“Oh Doctor, you did it.” Jack said in a fawning voice.  
“Doctor is it? You saved me, you saved my people.” said the Emperor.  
River smiled at the Emperor whilst feeling in her pocket for her voice modulator. She chose one of her male presets, and activated it.  
“My Dear Chap, it was my immense pleasure.” said River.  
“Please, allow me to prepare a feast in your honour.” said the Emperor.  
“Well I...” began River.  
“Oh Doctor, I'm famished, can we stay, please?” fawned Jack, obviously enjoying himself.  
“Well I would be delighted.” said River.  
“I shall arrange it at once.” said the Emperor, already walking to a grand building at the edge of the square.  
River turned and glared at Jack.  
“What are you doing?” she asked accusingly.  
“You said the Doctor was in the official records, just making sure we don't change history.” replied Jack.  
“Oh Doctor, you did it.” River did an impression of Jack's fawning.  
“The Doctor likes the admiration of his travelling companions.” replied Jack.  
“No he doesn't.” replied River.  
“You know he does.” said Jack.  
“I am so tempted to shoot you right now.” replied River flirtatiously.  
“Can you wait until after the feast?” asked Jack with a smile. “That was a good impersonation, did you meet him?”  
“Old vid files from his UNIT days, I told you, I researched the Doctor.” replied River.  
“I took readings while you were busy, nothing I've encountered before.” replied Jack. “It was like a wormhole but there were no readings for exotic particles or cosmic strings.”  
“We can track it back to it's source...” began River.  
“After the feast.” said Jack with a grin.  
“You are impossible.” said River.

After two hours of overt displays of gratitude and Jack's fawning, River was ready to shoot something. She had made her excuses and left, hoping to shake off Jack in the process, he hadn't gone for it. Playing the Doctor for two hours had been long enough, she had quickly reverted to her own face, with a couple of years shaved off. Jack was reminiscing about tight spots he had been in, she was trying her best to tune him out.  
They were backtracking to the source of the phenomenon, the readings were still strong but the route had been bizarre, random. If they didn't find the source in the next half an hour she had decided to shoot Jack, it wasn't as if he wouldn't come back.  
“Some of these readings have a greater rate of decay, I'm trying to filter them out but...” River shook the device which promptly stopped working altogether.  
“I am tracking a greater concentration in that direction.” said Jack pointing.  
They traipsed across overgrown fields, until they reached a large, high tech building erroneously sat in the middle of nowhere. A sign on the door read 'KEEP OUT'.  
“It's like an invitation.” said River flirtatiously while pulling a blaster from a pocket and blasting the door lock. The lock fell clean out of the door leaving a hole where it had been, the rest of the door remained untouched.  
“Nice...where did you get it?” asked Jack.  
“You know, around.” replied River flirtatiously. “Shall we?” she gestured for Jack to enter the building first.  
Inside the building was a small unmanned reception area behind which sat another locked door.  
“My turn.” said Jack pulling a blaster from inside his jacket and blasted the lock. The lock disintegrated along with part of the door. He pushed the door open and gestured for River to go through first.  
“Oh no, after you.” she said flirtatiously. Jack gave her a suspicious look and stepped through the door. She waited a second and then stepped through the door into an empty corridor.  
“Are you using me as cannon fodder?” Jack asked.  
“Because you don't stay dead but I can die...of course not.” replied River.  
“Wasn't sure you knew that.” replied Jack with a smile.  
“Your reputation precedes you, some of it is even true.” replied River as she set off along the corridor.  
“Disappointed?” asked Jack.  
“Constantly.” replied River as she reached the end of the corridor. “Security panel, I've got...”  
“I got it.” said Jack pulling a device from his jacket and placing it over the panel, a few seconds later the door unlocked. He opened it and stepped through.  
“I wasn't expecting that.” said Jack.  
River stepped through the door, into a large, square empty room.  
“Well they had time to clear out.” replied River.  
“Look at the floor, it's spotless, this room was already empty.” said Jack.  
River looked around the room, there were no door other than the one they had come through.  
“The corridor...” said River.  
“There were no other doors in the corridor.” replied Jack.  
“That's my point, the corridor is in the middle of the building, there's space either side but no access from the corridor.” explained River.  
“So where are the access points?” asked Jack rhetorically. “We could blast holes in the corridor.”  
River smiled and stepped back through the door to the corridor, she paced out 6 feet turned and pointed her blaster at the wall.  
“I'll take this side.” said Jack facing the opposite wall. The corridor filled with the sound of blaster file and falling masonry. After 30 seconds of blaster fire there were two large holes on either side of the corridor.  
“We should...” began Jack.  
River stepped through the hole she had just made before Jack could finish.  
“Or we could do that.” he said resignedly before stepping through the hole he had made.  
Jack was in a laboratory, he recognised some of the equipment that lined the immaculate walls. In the centre of the room was a large machine, he stepped closer to inspect it, trying to work out its function. A figure entered the room unnoticed by Jack who was still studying the machine, the figure moved silently to a control box on the wall and flipped a switch. Jack was encased in a energy field, he tried struggling against it but as he struggled the energy field increased in pressure compressing him.  
Jack remained still, he spotted the man by the control box.  
“Who sent you?” asked the man.  
“I was just passing, thought I'd stop by for a visit.” replied Jack.  
“Who sent you?” asked the man again.  
“Have you seen it out there, overgrown, you should get a gardener.” said Jack.  
The man turned a dial on the control panel, the pressure increased, Jack grimaced.  
“Maybe you like it overgrown.” said Jack.  
“Who sent you?” repeated the man.  
“This conversation is starting to feel one sided.” replied Jack.  
“Release him!” Jack managed to turn his head just enough to see River standing in front of the hole in the wall, blaster raised.  
The man pressed a button on the control panel and River was encased in a second energy field.  
“You cannot escape. You will answer my questions.” said the man.  
River struggled to move the hand still holding the blaster, little by little she was able to change the trajectory of the blaster.  
“Who sent...” man's voice trailed off as the the stun charge hit the centre of his chest. He slumped to the floor.  
“Is he dead?” asked Jack.  
“Just unconscious.” replied River.  
River gradually moved the blaster, aiming it at the control box, finally when it was in position she fired. The charge had little effect on the control box.  
“Full charge might do it.” suggested Jack.  
She adjust the blaster's charge to full and fired again. The box crackled with electricity but the energy fields remained in place.  
“Maybe a sustained charge?” suggested Jack sceptically.  
River sighed, there was only one more thing she could try. She adjusted the aim of the blaster and fired, it hit its target, Jack was propelled forward out of the energy field, he slumped to the floor with a large hole in the centre of his torso.  
River waited impatiently for Jack to revive.  
A few minutes later Jack gasped, he turned to see River standing in the energy field.  
“It's about time, hurry up and release me.” said River.  
“Did you have to shoot me?” asked Jack as he moved to check on the man slumped on the floor, he was breathing.  
“I was improvising, there wasn't much time to think.” replied River.  
Jack walked to the control box.  
“Looks simple enough...this should do it.” said Jack.  
Jack flipped a switch and River was released from the energy field.  
“Finally.” said River shaking off the effects of the energy field. “We'd better tie him up before he comes round.”  
Jack produced a length of rope from his jacket and tied the man up.  
“Did you find anything useful that way?” asked Jack nodding towards the hole in the wall.  
“Empty storage rooms.” replied River. “I'm going to take a look around. Keep an eye on him.”  
“Yes Ma'am.” said Jack slightly sarcastically.  
River went through the laboratory door into a corridor lined with doors. She tried the doors in turn, all but one were empty spaces. The last room held was a live specimens, inside she could see various small rodent like creatures.  
“Lab rats.” she said to herself.  
She moved further into the room keeping her distance from the various caged animals, the room was T shaped. To the left were stacks of empty cages, to the right was a large cage with a sheet draped over it. River moved towards it, taking a deep breath she pulled the sheet free of the cage. Inside was an alien species she didn't recognise, it was a biped with shimmering almost translucent skin. She returned her blaster to her belt.  
“Can you communicate?” she asked.  
Words filled her head, the words were jumbled, as though several people were talking at once.  
“Slowly, one word at a time.” she pleaded.  
The words slowed down, she was able to hear distinct words but they didn't make much sense. She listened patiently hoping to glean understanding.  
“Wrong...ruin...wander...yonder.” the words repeated, River didn't understand what the alien was trying to communicate.  
“OK let's start with one word. The first word 'wrong', something is wrong, what?” asked River.  
“Wrong...abuse...force...wrong...abuse...force...” the words repeated in River's head.  
“You're being forced.” asked River. “Well I guessed that, you're in a cage. What are you being forced to do?”  
“Wander...wander...wander.” the words repeated.  
“Wander...travel?” asked River.  
“Wander...travel...wander...travel.” repeated the alien in River's head.  
“You are being forced to travel. Travel where?” asked River.  
“Yonder...yonder...yonder.” the words repeated.  
“Yonder, far away. Far away on this planet, further?” asked River.  
“Empty...empty...empty.” the words replied in River's head.  
“Empty. Space?” asked River. “Are you being forced to travel to space?”  
“Empty...space...empty...space.” the words repeated.  
“Where in space, can you show me?” asked River.  
River's head filled with words, too many words.  
“Please slow down, I can't...” she trailed off as the words stopped.  
The alien was standing in the centre of the cage. River walked closer to the cage.  
“Pain...pain...pain.” said the voice in her head.  
River stopped and paid closer attention to the cage, it had at first appeared to be a standard cage but she could see it had been modified, she suspected to keeps it's occupant contained. She pulled out her scanner and took readings.  
“It's a modulating electrical field, modulating randomly, he's cleverer than he looks. Where is the power coming from.” She moved around the cage as much as she could trying to find a visible power source.  
“Clever.” she said as she spotted the almost concealed wiring in the cages corners that reached up through the floor.  
“If I just overload...” River said pulling her blaster from her belt, adjusted the settings and fired at one corner of the cage. She scanned the cage again.  
“One more burst should do it.” she said before firing a second charge. There was a brief static electric discharge, she scanned the cage, the electrical field had completely dissipated.  
“Warm.” a single word appeared in her head, the alien vanished.  
“You're welcome.” River said.  
River returned to the laboratory, the man had come round and watched her intently as she entered the room.  
“Did you find anything?” asked Jack.  
“Oh you know, offices, live laboratory test subjects.” said River with a shudder as she watching the man's reaction. His demeanour hinted at relief.  
“You can't treat me like this, I have done nothing wrong.” protest the man.  
“Who are you?” asked River.  
“I've tried that, he won't tell me anything.” said Jack.  
River leaned in close to the man's face and kissed him.  
The man looked momentarily puzzled before his eyes glazed.  
“Hello there. I don't think we've had the pleasure.” said River in a flirtatious voice.  
“I'm...I'm Doctor Gellini...Kalen Gellini.” the man replied with a wide awkward smile on his face.  
“May I call you Kalen?” asked River.  
“You can call me anything you want.” replied Kalen.  
“Impressive, I'd heard about your lipstick, I didn't know it could do that.” said Jack.  
“New recipe, it's quite the time saver.” replied River.  
“Kalen dear, what line of work are you in?” asked River.  
“I'm a scientist.” replied Kalen.  
“How exciting. What are you working on?” asked River.  
“I'm creating tunnels to distant galaxies, no more long journey's in ships, travel in an instant.” replied Kalen.  
“That sounds really complicated, how do you make these tunnels.” asked River.  
“I probably shouldn't tell you this but I trust you. I captured an alien with the ability to travel vast distances. It makes the tunnels, not very far just yet but I am sure with the right encouragement it will get me where I want to go.” replied Kalen.  
Jack looked angry.  
“We should...” he began.  
“Shh, I took care of it already.” whispered River.  
“Where did you find such a creature?” asked River.  
“I heard about them growing up, I thought they were a myth but there it was...have you heard of The Heavenly?” replied Kalen.  
“No I haven't, what are you they?” asked River.  
“Long ago people thought they were angels, they floated around in the night sky shimmering in the star light. No-one has seen one for millennia, but I saw one quite by chance, in the night sky, I lured it down and captured it.” replied Kalen.  
“How did you do that?” asked River.  
“The legends all say they are attracted to children's songs of all things, so I sang.” replied Kalen.  
“You sang and it came. But how did you trap it?” asked River.  
“That was just blind luck, I had been working on my generator that day and I had a cable just laying there I turned on the generator and gave it an electric shock. I thought I had killed it at first but it was just knocked out. I put it in a cage and fed current to the bars.” explained Kalen.  
River sighed. Jack shook his head.  
“We can't let his experiments continue, not like this.” said Jack.  
“I can wipe his memory, make him forgot about the aliens, hope he doesn't get lucky again.” suggested River.  
“There is another option, but the Doctor wouldn't like it.” said Jack.  
“No he wouldn't.” replied River sternly.  
“So we go with your plan.” replied Jack.  
“Kalen, how long have you been working on tunnels?” asked River.  
“Five, no six years.” replied Kalen.  
River pulled a device from her belt and held it to Kalen's head, she adjusted the settings and activated it. Kalen lost consciousness.  
“That should do it.” replied River.  
“How much did you erase?” asked Jack.  
“Seven years.” replied River. “Hopefully that was enough.”  
“We gonna to have to stage this room to explain the memory loss, trust me missing memories can drive a person to extreme lengths, we need to explain their absense.” said Jack.  
“I heard about the Time Agency erasing memories of their agents, security measures can be brutal.” replied River.  
“Do you know what they took?” asked Jack.  
“No, but I know the Time Agency aren't always what they pretend to be.” replied River.  
“I found that out the hard way.” replied Jack.  
“You know you'll never find out, the Time Agency has contingencies for contingencies.” said River.  
“I know.” Jack was silent for a moment. “Our friend here, we could stage this room as if he fell and hit his head. It's a classic for a reason.” said Jack. “Something involving electricity, that control box has slight damage we need to account for that.”  
River surveyed the room.  
“There's enough equipment here to build a crude artificial gravity generator, those experiments usually result in injury.” suggested River.  
They set to work, Jack built the generator while River collected up all research materials relating to the tunnel project.  
“OK, we need to place it at the right angle, it needs to account for those holes in the walls.” said Jack. He made small adjustments, checking by eye until he was happy with the alignment. “That should do it.”  
They moved to the control box and activated the generator which promptly blew up, leaving blast residue on the hole in the wall.  
They moved Kalen to the workbench, banging his head against it to cause an injury consistent with the experiment before letting his body fall to the floor.  
River scanned Kalen.  
“He'll live.” she said. “OK, grab the sack and we'll leave before he wakes up. I need co-ordinates for your hideout.”  
Jack grabbed the sack of research materials.  
“Allow me.” he said. Jack keyed the co-ordinates into River's vortex manipulator placed his had firmly around it.  
“Ready?” asked River.  
“Always.” replied Jack with a smile.  
River activated the vortex manipulator and they disappeared.

Jack's hideout, Prospect

Jack and River materialised in the centre of a lavish living room.  
“You have style.” remarked River.  
“It's not mine, I'm...borrowing it.” replied Jack. “What time is it? I have a robbery to commit.”  
“Yesterday.” replied River.  
“Yesterday?” replied Jack. “Not sure the Doctor would approve.”  
“The Doctor isn't here.” replied River flirtatiously.  
“How did you know I wasn't already here?” asked Jack.  
“You are busy buying anti gravs on Kelios 5, you don't get back to Prospect until late tomorrow morning.” replied River. “I considered robbing you when you got...get back but I wasn't sure you were wearing the face changer.”  
“You did your homework.” said Jack.  
“I like to be thorough.” replied River flirtatiously.  
“I certainly hope so.” replied Jack flirtatiously.

Jack opened his eyes to blinding sunlight and quickly closed them again. He rolled over putting his back to the window and opened his eyes. On the pillow beside him was a face changer and a small parcel wrapped in a bright red ribbon on top of a note. He slid the note out from beneath the parcel.  
“Had to run, left you a present. P.S Love the new face, big improvement.” the note was signed with a kiss.  
Jack opened the parcel, inside was the Jennini Emerald, he laughed,rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom. He was just about to go relieve himself when he caught his reflection in the mirror, the face looking back at him was River Song.


End file.
